In light of a recent tragedy in Evansville, it feels important to share this resource.

Gun Safety Should Never Be Taken Lightly

My dad has always owned guns and occasionally participates in spot shoot events.  We used to joke every year that the Thanksgiving turkey we'd eat was thanks to my dad's shooting skills. Although he didn't hunt the turkey, he won a frozen turkey almost every year at a spot shoot. So guns were a common thing in our home growing up, but gun safety wasn't something my parents took lightly.

My dad has always had a locked safe where his guns are stored.  Even though my dad's guns were under lock and key (well, code), I still remember the gun safety talk my parents had with us as kids. My parents sat us down and told us that if we were to ever come across a gun, whether at home or a friend's house, we were not to touch it, always assume it is loaded, and find an adult immediately.   All of these years later, and those rules still stick with me.  Even when I've been to the shooting range with my dad as an adult, he still tells me to treat every gun like it's loaded, and never assume one isn't.

Now that I have kids of my own, gun safety is a top priority. Mine aren't old enough to fully understand the gravity of the gun safety conversation just yet, so it's my job as their parent to make sure any firearms are locked and away from them.  And when they're old enough, we'll have the same talk my parents gave my brother and me.

Recent Tragedy Underscores the Critical Importance of Safe Firearm Storage

Recently, tragedy struck an Evansville family when a toddler got hold of a loaded gun, and it went off.  Unfortunately, the child didn't survive.   The full story can be found on our media partners, Eyewitness News' website here. This heartbreaking story, unfortunately, isn't an isolated incident, and it is a sobering reminder about just how important it is to keep all firearms secured.  

Where to Get a Free Gun Lock

There's an organization called Project ChildSafe that works to help prevent tragedies like this.  Project ChildSafe partners with law enforcement agencies across the country to promote safe and responsible gun ownership. They provide free educational resources on the vital importance of firearm safety and give away free gun locks.  Over the last 25 years, Project Child Safe has given away more than 70 million free gun locks.

If you would like a free gun lock, you can check out Project ChildSafe's Safety Kit finder.  You put in your city and state, and the website will show you where in your community you can get a free firearm safety kit.

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In Evansville, Project ChildSafe has free resources at:

• Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Police Department
• V A Outpatient Clinic
• Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Department

These are just the Evansville locations, there are locations all over the Tri-State.  If you'd like to find the one closest to you, you can utilize the free safety kit finder here.